Long Beach Demographics

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to Long Beach, the gateway to Southern California. The city is ideally situated between Los Angeles and Orange County, giving Long Beach businesses access to a massive business-to-business and business-to-consumer base. Long Beach combines big-city amenities with the relaxed atmosphere of a quintessential California coastal town. There are business corridors and charming neighborhoods, local innovation coupled with an historic airport and a global port, California State University Long Beach and an award-winning school district, and one of the most diverse populations in California. All of this blends together to create a vibrant, world-class city with small-town friendliness.

LOCATION

A single word sums up Long Beach’s location: Convenience. The city is a mere 30-minute drive from West LA, Downtown LA and Irvine.

GETTING HERE

Traveling to and from Long Beach couldn’t be easier. Visitors can fly directly to the Long Beach Airport via Alaska Airlines, America West / US Airways, Delta or Jet Blue Airways. Moreover, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and John Wayne Airport in Orange County are less than 25 miles away. When traveling by car, four freeways – 405, 605, 710 and 91 – provide quick access to downtown and greater Long Beach.

More than 15,000 businesses, employing approximately 225,000 workers, choose to operate businesses in Long Beach. Boeing, Bragg Companies, Direct TV, Epson, Gulfstream and Scan Health Plan are just a few of the major companies with corporate offices here. They come to Long Beach for its business-friendly attitude, city-sponsored business assistance and tax incentive programs, and central location.

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Port of Long Beach
The Port of Long Beach is one of the reasons Long Beach is the gateway to Southern California and serves as a key transportation hub in the global trade marketplace. It is the second busiest port in the United States, and together with the Port of Los Angeles, is the fifth busiest in the world. More than $100 billion worth of cargo moves through the port each year, ranging from clothing, furniture and machinery to petroleum. Long Beach-generated trade supports 1.4 million jobs throughout the United States – 316,000 (or one in 22) in Southern California – and generates about $15 billion in annual trade-related wages.

Foreign Trade Zone
Long Beach’s Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) is a secured area within the U.S. where merchandise can be admitted without the immediate payment of U.S. Customs duties or excise taxes.

As the gateway to Southern California, Long Beach is home to a large and diverse population. It is the fifth-largest city in California with nearly 500,000 residents who enjoy the city’s 345 days of sunshine, 88 parks, eclectic neighborhoods, award-winning schools and cultural amenities.